Chinese fish congee recipe

This simple and delicious Fish Congee is especially heart warming and satisfying on a cold day. It is light, tasty, and naturally gluten free.

Congee (rice porridge) or moey in my mother tongue, Fujianese is a comfort food like none other. It was the first solid food taken by me, my two boys, and countless others in a rice base culture. It is easy on the tummy, healthy, delicious, and a breeze to cook. Meats, fish, seafood, eggs, and vegetables can be added to make it a complete stand-alone dish eaten any time of the day.
and this tasty Fish Congee. The preparation is basically the same except that fish is added only towards the end because it cooks so easily. Sometimes a little pickled radish is thrown in to give it an additional boost of flavor. Do not omit the garnishes as they are part of the dish. Yew char kway (Chinese crullers) may be omitted to keep it naturally gluten free.

Any kind of fresh white fish may be used for Fish Congee. The fish should be thinly sliced and marinated prior to adding to the congee. Sea bass, grouper, and cod are all good choices. If whole fish is used, be aware of the bones when eating the congee. Ginger is a must in Fish Congee to neutralize any “fishy” odor that may arise if the fish is not super fresh. Ginger also provides a little heat and is soothing for the tummy especially in this cold weather.

Fish Congee

Author: Linda Ooi

Recipe type: Main Dish

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) fresh white fish (sea bass, grouper, cod)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1½ cups (300g) rice, rinsed and drained
• 1-inch knob ginger, peeled and slightly smashed
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)

Garnish

• 3 green onions, finely sliced
• 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and finely julienned
• A few sprigs of cilantro, stems removed
• Fried shallots
• Chinese crullers (yew char kway)
• Sesame oil
• Soy sauce
• Ground pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse and pat dry fish with paper towels. Using a very sharp knife, thinly slice fish at an angle.
2. In a large pot, rinse rice till water runs clear, about 3 to 4 times, drain.
3. Add smashed ginger and 10 cups (2.4 liters) water to the rice and set it on the stove to boil. When water comes to boil, remove lid and allow it to simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes. If porridge gets too thick at any point, stir in ½ cup (120ml) water to dilute.
4. Add marinated fish and salt to the porridge. Stir to get everything well mixed. Let porridge come back up to a boil and allow it to cook for another 3 minutes.